Anything is Possible: A Little Motivation to Get Involved in Adaptive Sports

Did you read yesterday’s post and doubt what sport might be possible for you? Did you second guess your abilities and let any limitations you might have hold you back? Well, maybe the below arguments from the CDC and UN might help you to face down the challenges and act…

“Almost 1 in 6 Americans 5-years and older have at least one disability; however, only 12% of all adults with a disability meet the minimum physical activity recommendations (either 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 days a week or 20 minutes of rigorous activity at least 3 days a week). Physical inactivity among people with disabilities has been linked to an increase in the severity of disability and decreased involvement in the community.”

-Centers for Disease Control, Washington, 2010 (courtesy of AccessSportAmerica)

 “Sport has the power to change the lives of persons living with a disability in an equally profound way, by empowering them to realize their full potential and advocate for change in society. Through sport, persons with disabilities acquire vital social skills, develop independence, and become empowered to act as agents of change. Sport teaches individuals how to communicate effectively and highlights the significance of teamwork, cooperation, and respect for others. Sport is also well suited to reducing dependence and developing greater independence by helping persons with disabilities become physically and mentally stronger. These skills can be transferred into other arenas including employment and advocacy work to further self-sufficiency.”

-United Nations, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, May 2008

For a little added motivation, check out the below videos of a few of the many adaptive sports available… For more videos and sports enthusiasts, check out the Reeve Foundation website's "Sports & Recreation" section...

Adaptive Alpine Skiing:

Surfing:

Enjoying the Skate Park:

Wheelchair Tennis:

Swimming:

Handcycling:

 No matter what your limitations might be, there's an adaptive sport out there for everyone!

An Adaptive Sports Expo: The United Spinal Association's Annual Kids Sports Spectacular

Max Wong and Lindell Lowe at the 2013 KSSOn Saturday, August 17^th, the United Spinal Association held their annual Kids Sports Spectacular in Philadelphia, PA. The KSS features adaptive sports clinics for kids with disabilities and their families. From basketball and baseball to hand-cycling and tennis, the KSS shows its participants just how active they can be in a variety of sports.

5-year-old Max Wong and his family made the journey from Queens, NY for their second trip to the KSS. Three years ago, surgery to remove a spinal tumor confined Max to a wheelchair. Despite the new challenges, Max’s family “made it their mission to seek out opportunities for him to be active.” By attending the KSS, Max got to try new sports and “bond with new friends and mentors—all living proof that the sky’s the limit when it comes to his abilities.” Inspired by the experience and the encouragement of those he met, Max has joined adaptive sled hockey and tennis clubs back home.

For this year’s keynote speech, the KSS invited Margaret ‘Maggie’ Redden, a U.S. Paralympian and Ms. Wheelchair New Jersey 2013. Maggie contracted polio as a child in India but has refused to let this disrupt her life. In line with KSS’s theme that determination and perseverance make anything possible, Maggie proclaimed, “Paralysis hasn’t stopped me from achieving.” No matter who you are or where you’re from, paralysis doesn’t have to stop you from achieving either.

Gavin Toney and keynote speaker Maggie ReddenTo read more about the United Spinal Association’s Kids Sports Spectacular, click here.

Looking to get involved in adaptive sport but missed this year’s KSS? No worries, check out the below links to find groups near you!

Boston area:

Spaulding Adaptive Sports & Recreation Program Website (Centers in Boston, Cape Cod (Sandwich, MA) and The North Shore (Salem, MA)

Access Sport America Website

For more info on how to participate in Access Sport America, contact Betty Miller at 978 264 0985 x 1192 or email Betty@AccessSportAmerica.org

Nationally:

Disabled Sports USA Website

Check out all the programs they offer and look for a Chapter near you!

September 2013 is Officially "National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month"

Did you know that September is National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month? Florida Senators Marco Rubio, a Republican, and Bill Nelson, a Democrat, teamed up to co-sponsor the recent resolution. According to Sen. Rubio, “By designating September as National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month, I hope we can further educate the public about how crippling accidents can be prevented while promoting the important work being done to help victims walk again.”  With over 200,000 people living with spinal cord injuries in the US alone and one person paralyzed every 48 minutes, awareness and a concerted effort to find new treatments are much needed.

How can you help? The Buoniconti Fund’s “Will You Stand Up for Those Who Can’t” campaign has a few suggestions: you can make a donation to the Miami Project, “the world’s most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center” founded to find a cure for paralysis, replace your Facebook default with their picture above, or email and tweet your friends to discuss the importance of finding a cure for paralysis. 

Together, we can each do our part to raise awareness, prevent injuries, and help those living with SCI.

Researchers Seek to Better Understand and Treat Weakened Immune Systems due to Spinal Cord Injury

Phillip Popovich, PhD (Photo courtesy of the Wexner Medical Center Website)While people with spinal cord injuries frequently contract infections, the reasons why their immune systems are suppressed have been largely unknown. According to a recent study by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, autonomic dysreflexia (AD), a potentially dangerous disorder “characterized by exaggerated activation of spinal autonomic reflexes,” is one of the causes of this immune compromise. "Our research offers an explanation for why people with spinal cord injuries develop a condition referred to as 'central immune depression syndrome.' Their immune systems, which are required to fight off infection, are suppressed due to damage or malfunction in regions of the spinal cord that help control immune function," said principal investigator Phillip G. Popovich, Professor of Neuroscience at Ohio State. Additionally, researchers have found that autonomic dysreflexia develops spontaneously in spinal cord injured mice and becomes more frequent as time passes. Popovich and other researchers have promisingly been able to restore immune function in mice using drugs that inhibit norepinephrine and glucocorticoids, immune modulatory hormones produced during AD that contribute to immune suppression. "Our research is laying the groundwork for potential therapeutic targets for reversing central immune depression syndrome," said Zhang, a post-doctoral neuroscience researcher at Ohio State.

Check out more information at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center website:

"Ohio State Researchers Restore Immune Function in Spinal Injured Mice."

The Brain Injury Association's Summer 2013 "Heads Up Headlines" Newsletter Features the Benefits of Exercise for TBI Survivors

Among the many great articles in the Massachusetts Brain Injury Association’s Summer 2013 Heads Up Headlines newsletter is one describing the benefits of aerobic exercise for TBI survivors. After prompted by the Achilles Foundation, founded by Hero of Hope Dick Traum, researchers at the Brain Injury Research Center of Mount Sinai analyzed past data and interviews with people suffering from TBIs between 1993 and 1998. Their findings demonstrated that those with TBI who regularly partook in aerobic exercise, that which increases one’s heart and lung capacity, “had fewer physical, emotional and cognitive complaints and symptoms, such as sleep problems, irritability, forgetting, and being discouraged.” Overall, the exercisers appeared to be happier and better able to remember than the non-exercisers. Interestingly, those who exercised had actually sustained more severe TBIs than those who didn’t, combating the assumption that a worse injury would prevent one’s ability to exercise.

While the data focused on aerobic exercise, the researchers also note that other forms of exercise are just as important. Whether it’s yoga, weight training, bowling, golf, or another non-aerobic activity, these all promote relaxation, improved concentration, and muscle fitness.

As Barbara Webster of the BIA follows up in the next article “Three Ingredients for Maintaining a Healthy Brain”, “Exercise doesn’t have to be complicated…talking a walk, walking the dog, doing yard work and even housework are all forms of exercise.” To prove her point, she also notes:

- A 10-minute walk gives you more of an energy boost than a candy bar

- A 15-minute walk stimulates neurogenesis, the formation of new brain cells

- A walk that is 15-20 minutes releases “feel good” endorphins.

While exercise is beneficial for anyone, it appears to be especially important for those recovering from TBIs.

To learn more check out the Heads Up Headlines Summer 2013 issue here.